Chapter Two

Dark Ages, 1457. Town of Târgovişte, Wallachia.

I felt so warm and protected; I didn’t want to wake up and try to see my bearings, but something wasn’t quite right, my head hurt so much it made me nauseous and the smell of blood mingled with sweat made it worse, besides I could feel I was with someone on a horse. 

My heart-rate escalated. Maybe those two got their way with me. I didn’t remember and dread filled my soul, but I couldn’t pretend to sleep forever. Slowly, I opened my eyes to meet two beautiful forest green ones staring down at me. Without thinking, I flinched and recoiled in his embrace. Who was he?

“Don’t fear me,” he said, his voice strong and rough, but somehow soothing. “I’m Vladislav Draculea.”

“The dragon…” My breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened. He noticed I tensed in his arms.

“Or the devil, as I’m known by everyone.” He gave a light, husky chuckle.

He may think he didn’t mind what people thought of him, but his eyes said otherwise. I’ve heard horrendous stories about this man, and how cruel he treated his enemies, the torture, the killing… He condemned his soul to conquer back his land and it didn’t matter the outcome.

“What are you going to do to me?”

“Nothing you don’t want me to. I just saved you from being raped by those two miscreants.” I felt the sincerity in him. He made me feel protected, but still apprehensive.

“You are all bloodied… Are you hurt?” Once more he chuckled and I narrowed my eyes on him.

“No, not at all.” I believed he saw the puzzlement in my face. “It’s just the blood of my foes, I’m sorry for my filthiness, but you just happened in the middle of a business I had to attend.” He shrugged his shoulders like if it was the most natural thing to wear blood other than clothes all over himself. With his movement, I felt my head again, and I squinted, grimacing. “What happened? Are you in pain?” He had concern in his voice, and I didn’t expect that, knowing now who he was.

“My head hurts, and I feel like vomiting,” I said to him.

“I wouldn’t expect any less of you, you hit your head very hard. We are about to enter the camp, I will make you comfortable in my tent and go make myself presentable to you.”

Silence fell upon us the rest of the path once we got there he dismounted with me still in his arms and carefully laid me down in some sort of bed.

“Please, rest for a while, I have a few things to take care of, and I will come back with water and food later on.” He bowed to me like a gentleman and left in a hurry, like he was running away from me.

I was alone in almost darkness if it wasn’t for a lit torch near the entrance. The tent fitted only three people inside, and it had just this bed made of hay with some animal skin covering the itchy straws, not suited for an implacable ruler like him, only a place to sleep or rest. I wish this headache would leave me alone, and I was thirsty, very thirsty, but to tell the truth, I didn’t know if I wanted him to come back. 

I felt protected by him, but his reputation preceded, he was no less than Vlad Țepeş, the cruel tyrant and I felt sorry for my assailants, as they would suffer an agonizing death, much worse of what I’d have suffered in their hands, if the legends were true, of course. It was mid-spring, making the night a bit chilly, but inside the tent felt warm, and I wanted to go out to get some fresh air to cool my skin. I must have slipped in and out of conscience, and all these were part of a dream.

“Did you bring those two scoundrels to camp and find her stepfather, yet?” his angry voice woke me up, filling me with dread.

“Yes, sire. They are all here as your request.”

“Great, now take them near the water, and show them what happens when we sell our women to perverts in my territory.” 

“Yes, sire, I have prepared everything. If you excuse me, I’ll carry on the execution.”

He must have been talking to one of his men, and bile rose to my throat when I realized what was about to happen. I stood up as fast as I could and stumbled out of the tent, holding myself to the nearest tree, and emptying the contents of my stomach, coughing and choking. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand, and the pressure in my head was a little better, my back hit a hard-muscled wall and iron arms embraced me by the waist, I didn’t dare to move.

“Easy. I brought you food and water,” 

I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but his warm breath close to my ear sent firebolt all over my skin, scaring me even more.

“Come with me, you are not well yet.” and I let him lead me back to the interior of the tent. The smell of food hit me and my stomach rumbled softly. I was hungry, and he placed a plate with a piece of bread, fruits, and some sort of meat in front of me. It looked great, but I wasn’t sure if I could keep the food down. “Sit and eat, please,” he asked, but I knew it was an order, so I did what I was told, I didn’t want to upset him or anything.

I grabbed the plate and put on my lap, and he was there staring at me, he was tall, but not that tall, maybe six feet, about three or four inches taller than me, but he was strong, with muscles that looked like logs, I didn’t want him to think I was staring at him, but things got awkward when he sat down in front of me and kept watching me eat.

I knew I flushed because I felt my cheeks on fire. He had this exotic beauty that kept my eyes lost in him, round and sparkling green eyes framed by very thick lashes and rough eyebrows. I was certain that nothing would escape his keen gaze. Long, honey brown wavy messy hair that I’d love to get my hands on a brush and play with those wild strands. To me he looked like an unkempt bear, and what to say about his lips, begging me to kiss them but hid underneath all that beard.

He looked savage in the literal sense of the word and made me hot inside. I didn’t have a clue why I was thinking about all these, but despite the apprehension, I felt drawn to him.

“How’s your head?” He startled me, taking me out of my daydreams.

“Good, it doesn’t ache that much anymore. Thank you for your kindness.” I bowed my head, nibbling at a piece of bread.

“Splendid news, because we have a long way to travel tomorrow.”

“I’m not going with you,” I whispered and my blood drained from my body seeing the change in his face.

“Yes, you are. There’s nothing that holds you here, you have no family and a stepfather who bet you to those men, Alizandra.”

“But… But… How did you know?” I pressed my palm to my forehead and wiped the moisture forming there. Oh God, doom came my way. How could I escape him?

“I’m sorry, but while you were resting, I had my men asking about you in the village,” he apologized, but I knew he wasn’t a bit sorry for the intrusion.

“What will happen to them?” I asked, but was not willing to hear his answer. Deep down, I had an idea. 

“Why do you worry about their fate? Why do you care for them?”

“Not that I care for them.” How should I put this without angering him? “They offended me, and my stepfather is a horrible creature, but they are human beings… They don’t deserve that kind of punishment, please.” He was quiet for a moment and his eyes became ghostly, making my heart thunder in my ears as I thought he listened, too.

“You are a kind soul, Alizandra, but I am not. I already damned mine, condemned to the fires of hell, to where I’m sending those perverts.”